Chapter 84: Chapter Thirty-Five【Ferocious Beast】 (Part 1)

She had taken two steps when she was blocked by Murong Feiyan, who had returned from her patrol. The little girl lifted her head and met Murong Feiyan's wary gaze; she keenly sensed the change in Murong Feiyan's attitude—what had begun as sympathy and pity had turned into vigilance and wariness, even mixed with some resentment.

"Where are you going at this hour?"

"I just feel stifled and want to go out for a walk."

Murong Feiyan shook her head, rejecting that idea: "There are plenty of wild beasts roaming the mountains and wilderness; it's best not to wander around. You're tired from the day, so get some rest early."

The little girl asked, "Do you blame me?"

Murong Feiyan was momentarily stunned by her sudden question, then she smiled faintly: "We met by chance, and sharing hardship on the road is already a kind of fate. Some things are predetermined by heaven; what is meant to happen will happen, so what is there to blame?"

The little girl said, "I know you all blame me, thinking I caused that person's death..."

Murong Feiyan said, "No one blames you; it's your own conscience troubling you. Go to sleep; tomorrow when you wake up, it might be a clear day."

The little girl stared at Murong Feiyan, tightly biting her lip, for otherwise her tears would have already spilled.

At midnight, Murong Feiyan and Liang Da Zhuang switched shifts, because Hu Xiaotian's poem had successfully made her laugh, so Murong Feiyan took over his watch, staying on duty alone from midnight until dawn. A bet's a bet; Murong Feiyan always keeps her word and never goes back on it.

Liang Da Zhuang was already exhausted beyond endurance; though he tried to stay alert, he still dozed off several times midway. Fortunately, no one launched a sneak attack during this period, and he even thought they were being overly cautious.

Murong Feiyan sat on that massive thousand-jin boulder, one hand resting on her long sword; the bright moon hung high in the night sky, stars twinkled playfully beside her, the dark clouds in the sky had completely dispersed, suggesting tomorrow would indeed be clear and fine. All around was silent, no unusual movement, hoping for a peaceful night. Lowering her gaze to her companions in the stone formation, she noticed the spot meant for Hu Xiaotian was empty, and she instantly became alert, rising to her feet—only to see Hu Xiaotian, who had risen sometime earlier, already at the base of the boulder, beginning to climb it bare-handed.

Murong Feiyan crossed her arms over her chest, amusedly watching Hu Xiaotian; although his movements still seemed a bit clumsy in her eyes, his climbing ability was decent enough that he managed to reach the top of the boulder without her help.

Hu Xiaotian, upon reaching the top, sprawled out on the boulder, took a long breath, and said, "I'm exhausted."

Murong Feiyan said, "Then why don't you just rest properly? What's all this fuss about in the middle of the night?" Yet she felt a twinge of wariness, wondering if his approach hid some ulterior motive. Although her impression of Hu Xiaotian had changed considerably over the journey, she still couldn't label him a wholly good person; perhaps it was only because, faced with the crisis before them, they had set aside their grudges and united as never before, and he had merely tucked away his wolfish tail, pretending to be decent. Heaven knows whether, after this crisis passes, he will revert to his old ways.

Hu Xiaotian patted the empty space beside him: "Lie down and talk!"

Murong Feiyan glared at him; this guy was getting more and more outrageous, actually wanting her to lie beside him to talk—how impossible, she's still an unmarried maiden of the Yunying family. Murong Feiyan ignored him, still gripping her sword and standing there looking down at Hu Xiaotian. Standing in the same line is no reason to lie together; Murong Feiyan has always been a person of principle.

Hu Xiaotian placed his hands behind his head, leisurely gazing up at Murong Feiyan, and had to admit she was a stunning beauty from every angle; if one had to point out flaws, her features and temperament lacked softness, her masculine aura was too strong, and she lacked the tenderness unique to women—but that shouldn't really count as a flaw, for in this era, a woman possessing such androgynous beauty is exceedingly rare, a beauty of character, truly precious.

Although the night was dark and hazy, Murong Feiyan could still feel the heat of his gaze, so she sat down beside him and said coldly, "What did you just say? You've made her feel terribly wronged, almost prompting her to quit the group."

Hu Xiaotian laughed, "I didn't say anything; I just wanted her to realize she's really no different from anyone else."

Murong Feiyan said, "If she really leaves, aren't you as good as dead?" Recalling that Hu Xiaotian had been implanted with the Seven-Day Soul-Severing Needle, she felt a pang of sympathy.

Hu Xiaotian narrowed his eyes, as if the bright moonlight had stabbed them: "Life and death are fated, wealth and honor come from heaven; some things cannot be forced. If she goes, I might die; if she stays, we might all perish. If I can sacrifice myself to bring safety to everyone, I will hesitate not." His words rang with passion, yet only Hu Xiaotian himself knew how hypocritical he was—better to die honorably than live in disgrace, but as long as there's a sliver of hope, he'll cling to life shamelessly.

Murong Feiyan sighed, bit her lip, gathered her courage, and said, "I wrongly blamed you; perhaps I should have listened to you from the start."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Knowing your mistake and correcting it is the greatest virtue; just listen to me from now on."

"On what basis?" Murong Feiyan exclaimed, her eyes widening.

Hu Xiaotian was about to speak when Murong Feiyan clapped a hand over his mouth, then lowered her delicate frame, raising her right index finger to her lips in a hushing gesture.

Under the moonlight, a drifting black shadow appeared—a black eagle soaring through the night sky, its outstretched wings covering the crescent moon. Both Hu Xiaotian and Murong Feiyan looked up at the black eagle; it seemed to be searching for something, sweeping overhead and gradually fading away.

When the black eagle dwindled to a tiny speck in their view, Hu Xiaotian let out a long breath and said, "Just a passing dumb bird, no big deal." He hadn't finished speaking when the eagle turned back, returning to circle above them. Its keen eyes glinted with a cold, icy light in the moonlight, piercing the night as it searched for a target; finally, the burning campfire could not escape its gaze.

A piercing eagle cry echoed through the silent night, reverberating long in the valley; hearing it, Murong Feiyan's face changed, and she whispered, "Oh no, we've been discovered!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Go!" As his words fell, Murong Feiyan had already risen and leapt down from the boulder. Hu Xiaotian lacked such ability, so he could only carefully retreat along the same path.

Once his feet were back on the ground, Murong Feiyan had already awakened Liang Da Zhuang and the little girl, whispering, "Go! We must leave immediately!" They swiftly packed their belongings, drew their weapons, and departed from the stone formation heading downhill. As they walked, they glanced upward—the black eagle continued to circle above their heads, having locked onto their position.

Walking in the dark is never easy, let alone on this steep mountainside; after just a few steps, the little girl let out a scream—she had accidentally stepped into a crack in the rock, wedged there by the narrow fissure. Hu Xiaotian and Liang Da Zhuang joined forces to move the stone; her ankle wasn't broken, but she had unfortunately sprained it, affecting her walk. This lass was also quite stubborn, gritting her teeth and taking two steps before she could go no further, sinking to the ground, unable to rise for a moment. Hu Xiaotian shook his head helplessly, handed his pack to Liang Da Zhuang, approached the girl, bent down, and said, "I'll carry you."

"No need..." the little girl protested with her mouth, yet her hands had already climbed onto Hu Xiaotian's neck. Hu Xiaotian silently sighed, wondering if he could be any more hypocritical. Meeting this girl was the ultimate bad luck—not only had he lost a follower, but he also had to worry about her life-and-death ordeals. She's a jinx, a total jinx. Since I met you, my misfortune has been nonstop; did you come into this world just to curse me?

Murong Feiyan suddenly reached out to halt their advance; in the dense woods on either side, dozens of eerie green lights floated about, resembling will-o'-the-wisps. Hu Xiaotian had never seen such a bizarre sight; he blinked and whispered, "What is that?"

Murong Feiyan gripped her sword; under the moonlight her pretty face turned deathly pale. She lowered her voice, trembling with deep fear: "Run, retreat!"******************************************************************Readers, don't forget to bookmark while you enjoy the story; the public edition is ending soon, it will be launched on the 11th, please continue to support!

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